OnStar and Verizon reveal camera-laden Buick

OnStar and Verizon are debuting a prototype Buick LaCrosse at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that offers a range of futuristic technologies. The spy-tech features include cameras that monitor activity around the car which can be viewed from a smartphone and a computer, and an impact-detection system that can replay a video clip of fender-benders. There also are enhanced voice commands to access Web sites, including YouTube, Twitter and Wikipedia, and an electronic owner's manual for the car that's streamed onto the dashboard.

Nissan Leaf is European Car of the Year 2011

The Nissan Leaf has won the 2011 European Car of the Year gong, it was announced today. It's the first electric car to win the award. The European Car of the Year whittled down 41 contenders to a shortlist of seven.

Mini Convertible (2009): the new R57 cabrio

By Simon Stiel First Official Pictures 28 November 2008 10:46 Mini has just issued the first photos of the new R57 Mini Convertible, which rolls into dealerships in March 2009 and follows the lead set by the latest hatchback. So it's cleaner, a little bit more polished inside and out, and there will probably be evidence of some middle-aged spread when we drive it in 2009.So what's new on the R57 Mini Convertible?All the changes are in line with the Mini hatch, so you get the latest PSA-shared 1.6 petrol engines, BMW group Efficient Dynamics – now redubbed Minimalism in Minispeak – stop-start and intelligent alternator control, helping to contribute to a 22% jump in fuel efficiency, Mini claims. The 1.6 Cooper pumps out 137g/km of CO2.